1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communications apparatus and method, and more particularly to an apparatus that facilitates switching from wired LAN to wireless LAN and vice versa.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, in communications apparatuses that include a wired communication function (wired LAN) and a wireless communication function (wireless LAN), configurations such as using both wired LAN and wireless LAN together, and enabling only one of wired LAN or wireless LAN exclusively to cut energy consumption have been conceived and are well-known.
A technology of a network terminal that includes wired LAN and wireless LAN and switches between wired LAN and wireless LAN automatically by detecting the connection status of a wired LAN cable solely by monitoring the insertion and the removal of the wired LAN cable to save time and effort has been proposed (e.g., JP-H10-164114-A.)
In the technology described in JP-H10-164114-A, switching between wired LAN and wireless LAN is determined by detecting the connection status of the wired LAN cable. However, it cannot be determined which one, wired LAN or wireless LAN, is to be enabled based on multiple different operating states of the apparatus.